


The Practice Swap

by theredarmada



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, LadyNoir - Freeform, Marichat, adrienette - Freeform, ladrien
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-10-25 01:40:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20715986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theredarmada/pseuds/theredarmada
Summary: Afraid of becoming akumatized, Ladybug convinces Chat to train with her Miraculous so he'll be ready to use it if necessary.  Post "Ladybug" and "Reflekdoll."





	1. The Plan

Ladybug paced the narrow alley, apprehension rolling off of her in waves. Even from the rooftop several stories above her Chat could see the tightness in her shoulders, the way she gestured as if she was trying to figure out how to say something and was failing miserably at it. There was something charming about her awkwardness, even if she kept it well hidden when she knew he was watching. 

Chat dropped down and came to a stop in front of Ladybug. "My Lady," he said, taking her hand to kiss it. "You wanted to see me?" 

Chat had trouble hiding his own anxiety about this meeting. Ladybug had seemed so urgent and serious when she expressed her desire to meet up, and he could sense change in the air like the electric crackle before a storm. Was this it? Was Ladybug ready to give up on the boy she liked and give in to the deep connection she already had with Chat? He knew that was wishful thinking. It was more likely that she was tired of his advances and was wanting to end their partnership. Maybe he shouldn't have kissed her hand. 

Ladybug still wasn't talking. Why wasn't she talking? 

"Ladybug--" 

"I was almost akumatized," Ladybug confessed in a rush. 

Chat gaped at her. "What? When?" 

"The other day," Ladybug said, waving him off. "The when's not important. What is important is that I realized that if I get akumatized, that will be the end of us, and for Paris! Hawkmoth will either realize that I'm Ladybug and force me to hand over my miraculous, or Ladybug will never come and nobody will be able to purify the akuma and set everything right!" 

"What happened that caused you to get akumatized?" 

Ladybug shook her head. "That's really not the point." 

Chat put his hand on her shoulder. "Then why did you call me here?" 

"To make sure that never happens." 

Chat looked at her, confused. "How?"

Ladybug took in a shuddering breath. "We need Mister Bug back." 

"What will that do?" Chat asked, trying to hide his shock and pride at being trusted with Ladybug's miraculous. 

"If I get akumatized for real, I'll take off my earrings and have Tikki bring them to you. It'll be a little harder without a Chat Noir but there needs to be a Ladybug, and there's nobody else I trust with this," Ladybug explained. "Tikki confirmed she knows how to find you, in or out of the mask." 

"Does that mean--" 

"I didn't ask," Ladybug cut him off. "And we shouldn't. The point is that when that day comes, I need you to be able to defeat me as a supervillain with my own miraculous." 

"When that day comes? Ladybug, shouldn't we be focusing on making sure you never get akumatized in the first place?" 

Ladybug sat down on the curb and looked up at him, a miserable expression in her eyes. "And what, make sure I never experience a negative emotion? I don't think that's going to happen, Chat Noir." 

Chat sat down beside her. He made no move to touch her but she leaned in so their shoulders were pressed together. "There's someone I know who will stop at nothing to see me hurt," Ladybug went on without prompting. 

"Well that's too bad," Chat replied, "because I know someone who will stop and nothing to see you happy." 

Ladybug smiled at him with a warmth so unexpected it made Chat's heart beat so hard he felt it might leap out of his chest and land in Ladybug's hands where it belonged. "Then you'll do it? You'll train with me?" 

Chat nodded, and as soon as he did Ladybug spun around so they were sitting back to back. "Okay, close your eyes and don't say a word. When you're ready, take off your ring and give it to me, and I'll give you my earrings at the same time. 

At this, Chat lept up. "Nice try, sentimonster!" 

Ladybug's eyes went wide. "I'm not a sentimonster!" 

"Yeah yeah, that's what the last one said," he replied, placing his hands on his hips. "I'll admit, you really had me convinced this time. The real Ladybug and I need to come up with a secret handshake or something." 

"I _am_ the real Ladybug." 

Chat crossed his arms. "Prove it." 

Ladybug stood up and approached him, resting her hands on his still-cross arms. 

"This is doing nothing to help your cause, Ladybug 3.0." 

"Kitty," Ladybug said, exasperation evident in her voice, "we met by getting tangled up in the string of my yo-yo, we've kissed twice as far as we know, and your kwami's name is Plagg." 

Chat nodded slowy, considering. "If we could kiss one more time maybe I'd believe you." 

"No." 

"That's my Ladybug," he sighed. 

"So you'll do it?"

Chat nodded again and turned around. He felt her back press against his, strong and reassuring. 

"Okay, once we've traded I want you to run around that corner over there," she said, reaching back to point to an alcove further into the alley. "Don't look back; I'm trusting you on this. We're going to have to speak as quietly as we can when we transform so we don't recognize each other's voices just in case we know each other in real life." 

"What difference does it make?" Chat asked. "We talk to each other all the time. Wouldn't we know by now if we actually knew each other?" 

He felt Ladybug shrug against his back. "I don't know, what if the miraculous protect us somehow?" 

"Or what if we're just dumb?" Chat countered, a teasing look in his eyes. 

"Or what if there are three million people in Paris and we genuinely don't know each other?" 

Chat bit his tongue. Better to not respond than to express his feelings that they _must_ know each other, must be in each other's lives in at least a small way. He wasn't sure why, but he rarely felt Ladybug's presence leave him. Maybe it was just wishful thinking. 

When he didn't speak, Ladybug continued. "Let's just play it safe, okay?" 

"Alright," Chat agreed. "Let's do this." 

Chat closed his eyes and pulled his ring from his hand. He felt naked without it, unmoored. He fumbled for Ladybug's hand beside him, a thrill rushing through him when he realized he was touching her actual real life human skin and that he would _remember_ it this time. He wanted to pick up her delicate hand and study each fingerprint until he knew them as well as his own, to memorize the feel of her skin so completely that if they were ever to touch in their normal lives he would know immediately that it was her. 

He shook away the toughts and focused on his task. He took the earrings and made his way around the corner. Only then did he open his eyes. 

"It's good to see you again," Tikki said. 

Adrien smiled. "It's good to see you too." 

He put the earrings on and transformed. "My Lady," he called out, "let me know when I can come back." 

"I'm ready when you are," Lady Noire replied. 

He came around the corner, taking in the sight of her. He couldn't believe how cool she looked, and how different. Her eyes were green in this form, but his stayed green in the ladybug miraculous. _Her eyes must really be blue, then,_ he couldn't help but thinking. It was a little bit of a relief that he knew with almost certainty that she had black hair and blue eyes. 

Meanwhile, Mister Bug felt exposed in this form. He had seen photos of himself on the Ladyblog and he wondered why people weren't suspicios of his true identity. He looked exactly like himself except in a suit and mask, like he was dressed up to go to a costume party. Would Lady Noire notice how much he looked like Adrien? Did he want her to? 

Lady Noire clasped her hands together. "Alright, so I was thinking we could run a few drills with each other's weapons to start, make sure we get really comfortable with that befor we move on to anything too advanced--" 

A scream cut her off mid-sentence. 

"Or we could go handle this akuma."


	2. The Separation

"Bye-bye, little butterfly," Mister Bug said as the newly-purified akuma floated away. He felt a little thrill getting to do this again, like it was something special and important. Was this how Ladybug felt all of the time? 

“That was _purr_fect, Mister Bug,” Lady Noire said, resting her elbow on Mister Bug’s shoulder. 

“What are you doing?” Mister Bug asked, feeling a rush of pride at her praise. 

“What?” Lady Noire asked with a teasing glint in her eyes. “Is it such a _cat_astrophe if I enjoy my new role?” She stretched her arms over her head languidly, almost catlike. 

Mister Bug couldn’t help but smile. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, but--” A beeping from Lady Noire’s ring cut him off. 

"I'm about to transform back," she breathed, once again serious, one pad showing on her ring. He too was impressed with how well she'd done, but she used her cataclysm far too soon. "I don't have any food on me so I'll have to go feed Plagg and then we can meet up." 

Mister Bug opened his yo-yo, frowning. There were only ten minutes until he had to be several blocks away for a photoshoot in the park. He'd need Plagg rested in order to get him there on time. His earrings beeped, the first dot disappearing. 

"I need to get somewhere soon," he hedged. "I’ll need a miraculous to be there on time."

Lady Noire’s gaze cast downward, thinking. Though he didn’t say the words, Mister Bug knew she understood. He also knew that what he was asking was big. 

Slowly, she nodded. “Chat,” she said, then stopped. “Mister Bug, there’s nobody else I trust with this except you. Let’s swap at the next akuma.”

Mister Bug nodded his agreement and thanks, but before he could take off, Lady Noire held him back. “She likes pastries,” she said, indicating his earrings.

He nodded again. “Camembert cheese,” he said in response. 

Lady Noire wrinkled her nose in disgust before running around a corner to transform back. Mister Bug sighed after her for a moment and swung his way across the city. But before his photoshoot, he could spare a moment to grab something for Tikki. After all, he knew a great bakery. 

* * * 

Marinette opened the doors to the bakery, her paper bag of smelly cheese held out at arm’s length. She couldn’t believe that Plagg actually liked this stuff, and more than that she couldn’t believe that Chat was okay with keeping it for him at all times. The boy must have reeked constantly; it was a wonder anyone could stand to be around him. 

She pulled abruptly to a stop when she was fully inside. At the counter, in _her_ parents’ bakery, was Adrien Agreste. She would recognize the back of his head anywhere. 

Adrien turned around at the sound of her entry. “Hey Marinette,” he said, an easy smile on his face. “I was wondering if you’d be here.” 

Marinette stared at him, dumbfounded. “I was just... getting lunch,” she lied, still holding the bag out. 

_“La Fromagerie de Eiffel,”_ Adrien leaned in to read the logo on the bag, raising his eyebrows. “I thought they only sold cheese?” 

Marinette’s eyes went wide for a second. “What can I say?” she laughed nervously. “I love cheese.” 

A moment passed where nobody said anything, then Marinette cleared her throat. “So, what are you doing here?” 

Adrien held up a small box containing four macarons. “I just came for some sweets,” he said, but his voice lacked the easiness from before. 

“Our Marinette helped out with those this morning,” Tom said proudly from behind the counter. “Go ahead Adrien, why don’t you have one now and tell her what you think of it?”

Adrien looked down at the small number of macarons, his eyebrows drawn together. “That’s okay, Mr. Dupain. I’m sure they’re amazing but I really have to save these for after my photoshoot. You understand, right Marinette?” 

Marinette nodded, all too eager to get upstairs and to get the camembert away from Adrien. She couldn’t believe she had let him see her with the smelly substance. 

“Nonsense!” Tom cut in again. “One macaron won’t spoil your photoshoot. Go on, give it a try.” 

“I would, Mr. Dupain, but they’re actually for a… a friend,” Adrien admitted, not making eye contact. There was restraint in his voice, like he didn’t want to admit this particular fact. 

Marinette’s stomach dropped. Maybe he didn’t want to admit it because this friend wasn’t _just_ a friend at all. Adrien knew how Marinette felt about him, and Marinette knew he didn’t feel the same. And if these were for a girl, that would explain why Adrien was wondering if she’d be here. Maybe he was looking to avoid her so he wouldn’t hurt her feelings. Well if that was the case, she wasn’t going to make it difficult for him. 

“It’s okay, dad,” Marinette said breezily. “See you in school tomorrow, Adrien.” She ran up the steps without another word, not letting anyone see the hurt in her eyes. 

* * * 

“Finally,” Plagg breathed, coming out of Marinette’s jacket now that they were in her room. He followed her to the desk where she set the bag from _La Fromagerie_ and dug in. “I’m starving.” His joy turned to confusion as he watched her collapse onto her bed, face first. 

He swallowed a piece of camembert whole and returned to Marinette’s side a moment later. “What’s wrong, Marinette?” 

“It’s nothing,” Marinette said, lifting her face from the pillow. “It’s just, you know, very obvious that Adrien bought those macarons for another girl, in _my_ bakery nonetheless, and he knows how I feel about him and you’d think he’d show a little bit of courtesy-- why are you smiling?” 

Plagg did, in fact, have a gigantic smile plastered on his face. He stifled a laugh and tried to school his expression. “You really like that Adrien boy, don’t you?” 

Marinette sighed. “I know you don’t want to hear it.” 

“No, I really do,” he said, completely unable to help himself. He wasn’t going to tell either one about the other’s identity, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t know the details. 

A smile crept over Marinette’s face, wistful and reminiscent. “I met Adrien pretty soon after I became Ladybug. We got off to a rocky start; I thought that since he was friends with Chloe he was going to be just like her. But he proved himself to be… unexpectedly warm-hearted. I used to feel so invisible, but he ended up being really nice and thoughtful. He’s the first boy who made me feel truly seen.” 

“But you’re Ladybug,” Plagg said, confused. “Everybody loves you. And you seem to be pretty popular in school, at least from what I can tell.” 

“It wasn’t always that way,” Marinette said sadly. “Before Adrien and Alya came into my life I was very alone. They changed and made my life so much better than I ever thought it could be. That’s why I have to hold onto hope. If there’s even the smallest chance Adrien will love me back one day, I have to keep trying no matter what.” 

“You two really are meant to be,” Plagg muttered, mostly to himself. 

Marinette eyed him dubiously. “Aren’t you supposed to want me with Chat Noir?”

Plagg looked away from her, hiding the obvious truth he was fighting to keep from spilling out of him. “Marinette, I want you to be happy.” 

* * *

"Hey Tikki, are you still there?" Adrien whispered as he opened his bag. He had just gotten home and was hyper-alert having Tikki in his house with him, as if he didn’t have a kwami with him every day. 

Tikki peered up at him. He felt a little bit of relief knowing that she hadn’t just left him and flown back to Ladybug. She probably wouldn’t, or couldn’t, leave the earrings in his possession, but he still worried. "Is it safe?" she asked. 

Adrien nodded and Tikki floated out of the bag. She looked around, seeming to take stock of the place. In a way she had been here before, but it must have been different seeing it through her own eyes. 

“I didn’t think I’d ever be here without Ladybug,” Tikki mused, apparently thinking the same thing he was. 

“I didn’t think you’d ever be anywhere without Ladybug,” Adrien replied. “Do you miss her?” 

Tikki smiled. “Yes, but it’s nice to know how much you trust each other. You really are an incredible team.” 

Adrien cleared his throat. “I’m not going to ask you who she is.”

“I wouldn’t tell you.”

“But,” Adrien went on, “can you tell me if I know her?” 

Tikki kept silent for a long moment. Of course she wasn’t going to tell him anything. Ladybug’s identity needed to be kept a secret; he knew that better than anyone. But he couldn’t imagine a future in which they never found out. 

"That was really clever, what you did," she said after a beat, changing the subject. 

"What are you talking about?" he asked, running a hand through his hair. 

"Disappearing when Simon Says came here, then reappearing as yourself, then disappearing again. And with Volpina, for that matter." 

"I can think of a few more," Adrien muttered, heat rising in his cheeks.

"It really is a wonder that Ladybug hasn't figured it out by now." 

Adrien turned toward her fully, a sharp interest in his eyes. “Would she be happy if she knew who I was?” 

“It’s hard to say. Do you have another macaron?” 

Sighing, Adrien fished the small box from his bag and got a second macaron out for Tikki. There were only two left and he’d need to trade back with Ladybug soon or else he’d have to go to Marinette’s again to get more, and then he’d have to explain this sudden sweet tooth. Tikki had insisted that no other bakery would do, and he felt a rush of joy knowing that’s where Ladybug went to buy her macarons. It made him want to sit in the bakery for hours on end until he finally saw her, the girl who came regularly to buy tiny pink macarons but never took any for herself. She probably smelled like flour and sugar. She probably knew Tom and Sabine on a first name basis. She might even know Marinette. They’d get along so well; both were so kind and thoughtful and warm. 

“Does Marinette know Ladybug?” 

Tikki’s eyes were closed, joy evident on her face as she chewed on her bite of macaron. “Hmm?” The kwami opened her eyes and swallowed. “Did you say something?” 

She really wasn’t going to give him an inch. Adrien bit his frustration down, reminding himself yet again that this was for the best. But when Tikki finally finished her macaron, she spoke. “Adrien, have you ever hoped someone you knew was Ladybug? Someone specific, I mean.” 

An image of wide blue eyes and a bag from Plagg’s favorite cheese shop flashed through his mind before he quickly shook it away. “I try not to,” he said solemnly. “What if she’s not who I hope she is? Then I’ll have gotten my hopes up for nothing.” 

“That’s the thing, Adrien,” Tikki said. “If you only love her because she’s Ladybug, she deserves more than that. You have to learn how to love her for who she really is.” 

Adrien sat on the bed, feeling defeated. “How am I supposed to love her for who she really is if I never know?”

“You have to allow yourself to hope.”


End file.
